Threes were wild for Charlie Frye. That was good, and bad, if you’re Charlie Frye.

In his second start as an Oakland Raider, and his first game in Cleveland since he started the 2007 opener for the Browns, Frye threw for a career-high 333 yards. He also threw three interceptions that were keys in the Browns’ 23-9 win.

“I would say it was a very average day for him,” Oakland Head Coach Tom Cable said. “Ball security is a big thing, and to have three turnovers was very costly.”

Frye has played in a combined four games — for Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks and now the Raiders — since he was benched at halftime of the Browns’ 2007 opener, and traded to Seattle the next day.

It remains to be seen whether he will be replaced by former No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell in Oakland’s season finale against Baltimore, or if he will ever start again in the NFL.

He savored the moment, such as it was.

“I always enjoy Sundays,” the former University of Akron and Willard High School star said. “I leave it all on the field every time I play. That’s all I know how to do.

“My family was up there. It was an important game for me.”

Frye was intercepted by linebacker David Bowens on his first throw of the day, leading to a quick Browns touchdown. Bowens said the Browns’ defensive alignment, a diamond formation, tricked Frye.

Instead, Bowens dropped in front of running back Darren McFadden, who had lined up as a wideout.

“It was one of those he wanted back the second he threw it,” Bowens said. “He just didn’t expect me to be there.”

Frye’s other picks came when he was driving for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

“No excuses,” Frye said. “I’ve got to hit those plays. In a perfect world, you would like to have more time with those (receivers), yeah. But that’s not the hand that was dealt to me.”

Frye said Browns Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan, who held that position with the Raiders the previous five years, “did a great job.”

“They did a lot of walking around (before the snap),” Frye said. “You don’t know who is going to blitz.”

Frye engaged in a duel against Derek Anderson, who replaced him in the second half of the Browns’ opener against Pittsburgh in ’07.

Anderson and Frye hadn’t talked to each other since the trade, but they looked each other up on the field after the game.

“I told him I would see him in Arizona for golf this winter,” Anderson said. “I told him he did a good job.”

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A FOUR-PACK

The Browns sacked Frye four times, giving them 37 sacks on the year, 20 more than they made during their 4-12 season in 2008.

In the first half, linebacker David Bowens slapped referee Jeff Triplette on the butt after he was cut on the knees by Raiders lineman Chris Morris. Triplette rang up Morris for holding. On the next snap, Bowens broke into the backfield and floored Frye with a chest-to-chest sack. It was Bowens’ sixth 2009 sack, approaching his career high of seven with the Dolphins in 2004.

ROTH STRIKES AGAIN

Linebacker Matt Roth, claimed off the waiver wire on Nov. 25, made 1 1/2 sacks, giving him four in five games. Roth is warming up to Cleveland. He turned to the Dawg Pound and flexed his biceps after both sacks.

“I’m an emotional guy,” Roth said.

Roth alsso has warmed up to Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan, who was with Oakland the previous five years.

“We knew this was a big game for Rob,” Roth said. “We love him on defense. For Mangini, too, it was a big game. We knew we needed to come out and get one for those guys.”

UPS AND DOWNS

These have been hard times for cornerback Brandon McDonald, who was benched in favor of Mike Adams.

On special teams, McDonald was flagged for running into a Raider trying to catch a punt. He atoned for the penalty as a member of one of the Browns’ sub packages, intercepting Frye near the goal line and returning the ball 39 yards. It was McDonald’s first pick of the season.

“I underthrew that one by a foot,” Frye said. “In this league, a foot is an interception.”

Eric Wright made another fourth-quarter pick, also near the goal line.

“He did a good job fooling me,” Frye said. “I swore he was blitzing. He turned at the last second.”

• Kicking away from Joshua Cribbs didn’t pay off every time. Jerome Harrison returned a short kick 39 yards to give the Browns’ possession in Raider territory to start the second half.

EXTRA POINTS

• Jerome Harrison’s 39 rushing attempts broke a franchise record set by Lee Suggs, who had a 38-carry game at Miami on Dec. 26, 2004. The 39 attempts are the most by an NFL back in any 2009 game.

• Harrison became the first Brown to follow a 200-yard rushing game with a 100-yarder. He gained 148 yards.

• Mike Furrey, making his first Browns start at safety, was in on five tackles. His last start at safety was on Jan. 1, 2006, with the Rams.